


Reassurance

by IHealRages



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cute, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-War, Soft Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 04:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18684139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IHealRages/pseuds/IHealRages
Summary: A holiday to the woods brings back unhappy memories.Draco does his best to be a good boyfriend.





	Reassurance

The forest loomed above them as the two men walked along a twisting woodland path. Overgrown roots and branches attempted to hinder them as they made their way through the trees. The distant chirping of robins echoed around them. A brook babbled nearby and the sky was slowly turning grey.

"I told you it would rain," huffed Draco, staring up at the clouds.

"It's a break, darling, just enjoy it," Harry teased, taking his boyfriend’s arm as they wandered along the path.

The blond rolled his eyes, with a soft glare towards the Gryffindor. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

Harry giggled. "It's our anniversary, don't worry, I won't let work stress get in the way."

Draco gave him a look, one eyebrow raised as he remained silent.

"This time I promise!" Harry insisted, pulling his boyfriend along. "We have the cabin for the whole weekend, no one can reach us so we can enjoy!"

Draco looked at him for a few more seconds before his expression broke into a smile, a soft sigh leaving him. "Alright, love, but when we get rained on you can only blame yourself."

They’d been there before, it was a few hours’ walk into the woods to reach a small cabin you could book to stay in. The first time Harry took them there, Draco hated it, too much dirt and not enough soft blankets. But Harry liked to go.

He rambled about his latest auror training and his visit to Neville’s house the week before where he’d found out the other had practically turned his home into a massive greenhouse.

It started to rain, a small but continuous drizzle over their heads. Draco was shaking his head but Harry just smiled, taking in the forest.

Thunder rang in the distance. A violent shudder ran up Harry's spine.

He coughed a little, settling his head, just a little thunder, maybe there would be a storm tonight. It was starting to get darker so his brain was coming up with stupid things again.

He continued to ramble, walking slowly until he found himself thinking too hard. He’d seen this forest before… They’d walked this way before, but it felt… more familiar.

A howl ripped through the forest.

 

_*Running through undergrowth, have to get away, have to escape, a howl of werewolves, a flash of red light, Harry, Harry, Harry!*_

 

He blinked fast, heart racing. Another flash of thunder from above. He scrambled for his wand, pointing it towards the darkness of the trees.

"Harry, what's wrong?" asked his boyfriend. Something touched his shoulder and he whirled around before he realised it was just Draco, his hand still where it was raised.

"Nothing," he replied, scrambling for words, excuses, a reason for the tight feeling in his chest.

Draco frowned, obviously not believing him. "We're almost there now," he said, eyeing Harry's wand that was still raised in front of him. "Are you... okay?"

Harry nodded, shrugging off the panic, a little thunder wasn't scary. The light drizzle started getting heavier.

He forced himself to laugh, his voice sounding off even to him. "I'm fine, I thought I saw something. Let's go quick!"

He took Draco's wrist, pulling him along faster than before, Draco was right, they were almost there now and he was ready to curl up with his boyfriend.

An odd root tripped him, and the rain got heavier, he could feel the water starting to drip into his jacket, soaking his hair.

 

_*Cold, a chilled breath as happiness drifted away*_

 

He shook himself abruptly, stopping and swaying almost disoriented as his heartbeat rang in his ears. "I'm fine," he muttered to himself. "I'm always fine, nothing's wrong."

The hand in his squeezed and he squeezed back. This was irrational, there was no reason to be afraid, the bushes rustled, rain rushed by in floods of water, it was too much noise.

He scrunched his eyes closed, dropping Draco's hand as his fingers went to rub his temples.

 

_*A forest clearing, the scent of soil and people screaming as the killing curse collided with his chest,*_

 

"Harry, please, just tell me what's wrong, I can help," Draco's voice filled his ears, loud over the rain battering the ground around them.

The tightness in his chest increased, squeezing around his lungs and heart.

He forced his eyes open and took in short gasps of breath, panic was filling every inch of him. Shaking his head from side to side as he dropped to his knees, wet leaves and soil clinging to him.

"Harry?" soft, tentative.

Harry gulped air in a few times, he couldn't move. He needed... help. "I don't—" he started, mind whirling then trying again. "During the war... I felt like I was always moving, you know?" he didn't know if Draco knew, it didn't matter. "If I had bad dreams, I just dealt with it... And now the memories are... I just…" his voice cracked, a small whine passing his lips.

His clothes felt heavy and painful as they clung to his skin, and he wrapped his arms around himself, breathing hitching as he fought to make it less irregular. "I—I just don't know—I don't know what to **_do_**!"

He choked, staring up at his boyfriend, he felt raw and exposed. Memories haunted him often but he hid it—He had to hide it. No one would help, no one cared.

Draco was biting his lip, and Harry had to hold his breath, feeling that if he even breathed Draco would leave and never come back. He wouldn't help him either.

But instead, his boyfriend moved closer to him, kneeling in front of him so they were just a hair's width from each other, not quite touching.

"You're not alone, Harry, your friends and I— We're all here to help you, you just have to let us," he spoke low and somber, and Harry latched onto every word, the rain pouring over them suddenly sounded muted in comparison.

A noise came from the back of his throat in response. He swallowed a few times before speaking "I—I **_can't,_** " he whispered.

Draco raised a hand to his cheek slowly, leaving it inches from Harry's face.

Harry pressed his cheek against it with a sudden swell of desperation, wanting the touch. Wanting to **feel**. Immediately arms were wrapping around him, and he found himself taking in Draco's scent, touch, sound.

"It's okay," a piercing shot broke through his stomach, tears welling in his eyes. "We're here whenever you're ready."

A choked sob escaped him, tears falling freely down his face, he pressed his nose into Draco's neck, shaking, but he didn't know if it was from the rain dripping down his back and soaking them both through or the sweet reprieve from his mind, however brief it may be.

Draco let Harry sob for only a little while, his hand resting against the back of his head, but they couldn't stay here. "Let's go to the cabin," he whispered against Harry's ear. The rain had drenched them both, and he took Harry's hand as he stood, pulling them off the ground.

The dirt on his clothes barely registered, he kissed over his boyfriend's cheeks, startling as Harry cupped his face in an instant, letting their lips meet with such a passion he felt the Gryffindor might break.

He led them back, using his wand to set a fire in the fireplace and helping Harry to strip his clothes. The cabin lacked a proper shower so Draco took his time towel drying Harry's hair. A few cleaning and drying spells later, they were both dressed in pajamas and relaxing on the sofa.

Harry let Draco lead him through the motions, not quite registering the actions until they were over, but as he stared into the fire, looking over at Draco who was reading a book, it reminded him of why he fell in love in the first place.

The room felt cold, leaving goosebumps over his skin. He curled closer into the heat of the man next to him. Draco looked over, a soft smile appearing on his lips.

"Cold?" the blond asked, grey eyes striking and flecked with hues of warm colours as they reflected the light from the fire. A lithe arm was strewn over his shoulders, allowing him to cuddle closer into the warmth.

Emotion burst in his chest, fluttering and spreading through from his fingertips to his toes.

"Not anymore," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around Draco's body and resting his head against his shoulder. He closed his eyes, listening to the soft sounds of the cabin, the rain pattering on the roof and against the windows, the soft crackle of the fire. His boyfriend's soft heartbeat and breaths that matched the rise and fall of his chest.

He was vaguely aware of drifting in and out of sleep until he was being shifted.

"Mmnnn," he whined, as the warmth moved away, leaving his side cold. With a shiver, he blearily opened his eyes, blinking out the sleep and raising his head. A vague sense of panic washed over him, memories of dark spells and rough nights on the floor of a tent.

"Go back to sleep, love," that silky smooth voice broke through his tension, he relaxed again, letting himself flop back against the sofa. Something shifted under his legs and along his back, gentle arms winding around him, and he was lifted up. Harry let out a deep breath, all the strain of the day exhaling with it as he immediately let his arms go around his boyfriend's neck.

He was carried to a quieter place, the bedroom, he noted as he hit a soft bed. The silence of the room was only broken by the creak of the mattress and a soft "I love you," against his ear.

 


End file.
